From February 2015, two regions of the city involved in the council-led trials will see bin capacity for recycling increase and a new commingling service for paper and packaging recyclables.
Proposals to introduce the scheme were approved last year by the council’s Transport and Environment Committee, based on public consultation by both Zero Waste Scotland and Edinburgh council on residents’ attitudes to recycling in flats and tenement areas.
Residents affected by the trials will be those currently served by on-street waste containers, such as in areas including Montgomery Street, Hillside and Bellevue.
Under the first of the pilot schemes, tenants will be able to deposit paper, cardboard, cans and plastics bottles into the same container, which will be fitted with a green lid. At present, packaging and paper must be deposited in two separate bins.
Where possible, remaining bins will be converted into glass recycling banks and there will be no changes to shared waste and food waste bins.
In the second pilot tenants will also be able to mix recyclables, but in these areas around a quarter of the larger 3,200-litre landfill bins will act for use as converted recycling bins.
This would mean an increase in the capacity for recycling in these areas while reducing the space available for residual waste. The smaller 1,280-litre paper and packaging banks will be replaced with glass recycling banks.
Duration
The two pilots will run for six months with a view to roll out either one or a combination of the schemes across all flats in the city where appropriate by October 2015.
Environment Convener, councillor Lesley Hinds, said: “Improving recycling rates is a real priority for the Council as we aim to drive down landfill and the associated costs, as well as making a positive impact on the environment.
“A similar approach to simplified recycling elsewhere in the city has already seen a significant drop in rubbish being sent to landfill, and I know that many people living in flats and tenements want to contribute to this.”
It follows an overhaul of Edinburgh’s household collection service in 2014, which saw 240-litre residual bins become commingled recycling containers, with a smaller 140-litre grey wheelie bin rolled out for refuse.
According to the council, the move saw the amount of waste sent to landfill in Edinburgh drop by 30% with the amount of materials recycled rising from 2kg to an estimated 3kg per week (see letsrecycle.com story).
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